Reports Leo Odera Omolo
AN ODM official, Mr. Jack Nduri, said yesterday party loyalty and track records of individual candidates on reform agenda would be used when clearing aspirants for various leadership slots.
Nduri who is the chairman of ODM in Karachuonyo urged party members to properly screen the history of those aspiring for key positions of leadership before settling on their preferred candidates.
Speaking at Kendu Bay town where he addressed hundreds of feasting Muslims, Nduri said former Kanu hardliners who viciously resisted reforms during Moi era were already scheming to take over leadership positions in Luo land.
A visibly angry Nduri said Homa Bay County had the highest infestation by the Kanu moles. Noting that the same individuals had lifted the culture of dishing out cash hand outs to poor people and using harambees as major platforms to show their might, Nduri said only leaders with viable policies and are supportive of ODM will be elected.
“We shall not allow our electorate to be hoodwinked into electing people just because they are moneyed and capable of dishing out cash to the less fortunate. We need issue based campaigns and viable vision that can turn around the economy of this region and reduce widespread poverty, “said Nduri. He said the radical move will save the party the embarrassment such as the one ODM found itself in when Eldoret North MP, William Ruto and his allies suddenly changed their loyalty.
Nduri who is also a member of the party’s National Governing Council said some of those with Kanu links have neither joined ODM officially nor denounced their membership of the former ruling party.
He said matters of party loyalty were not negotiable and would be strictly adhered to when clearing candidates for party primaries.
Nduri said he would ensure the party constitution is fully adhered to in order to give party leader Raila Odinga easy time when he ascends to power.
Nduri urged the youth to ignore those planning to bribe them to fluke their ways into leadership saying the same people had fanned poverty spread and unemployment.
He said it was high time the youth and women came up to contest elective positions offered by the constitution noting that leadership should not be gambled with by allowing those who have had an opportunity and mismanaged other institutions to “give us a false start” at the county level.
He said he would be in the front line in ensuring that inept and corrupt leaders are not elected to positions of leadership.
Nduri said he was in the process of reorganizing ODM leadership in Karachuonyo and other constituencies in Homa Bay County in consultation with relevant ODM leadership in the region to wake up to the fact that the party was under invasion.
ENDS.